Local organizations plan volunteer events

April 9, 2011

Volunteer Starkville and the Maroon Volunteer Center from Mississippi State University will offer volunteer opportunities all week in honor of National Volunteer Week.
â€śWe are doing National Volunteer Week because we have so many volunteers in Starkville and at MSU, known and unknown, that help out our organizations and do not get recognized for it,â€ť Elizabeth DuBois from Volunteer Starkville said. â€śThis week was founded to acknowledge these volunteer efforts and show our appreciation for it.â€ť
The week of events will kick off on Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a volunteer check in and packet pickup at 407 South Hall on the MSU campus. Anyone who plans to volunteer during the week should stop by to pick up their t-shirt and information. They still need volunteers to help with the distribution and packets. The Maroon Volunteer Center will also host a student workshop starting at 10 a.m. entitled â€śVolunteering can open doors to a new career- Hereâ€™s how!â€ť
Volunteer Starkville have collected supplies for the Recovery House in Columbus and the local homeless shelters over the last few weeks. Monday will be the last day to donate.
On Tuesday, they will offer the community a chance to show their appreciation to the men and women serving our country by participating in a letter writing campaign through Operation Gratitude. The event will take place at the MSU drill field from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Paper and pens will be provided, and Volunteer Starkville will send the letters.
On Wednesday, volunteers will help out at the Palmer Home thrift store with sorting donations and cleaning up from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, volunteers will clean up the Cotton District in preparation for the upcoming Cotton District Arts Festival.
On Friday, they will distribute the materials donated during the supply drive to the Recovery House and the homeless shelters. Certificates and refreshments will be offered to anyone who helped out during the week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 407 South Hall.
â€śWithout our volunteers giving their free time, our events happening in this community would not be successful,â€ť DuBois said. â€śOn behalf of Volunteer Starkville, we would like to send out a big thank you to all of our volunteers in Starkville.â€ť